July at Shell Cottage
by Ebb
Summary: Hermione spends a month at Shell Cottage while Ron and Harry have training. Hermione/Gabrielle, Hermione/Fleur, Hermione/Bill, Hermione/Ginny, Hermione/Charlie. Possibly threesomes. Rated for very graphic sex scenes. Spellchecked and grammar checked.
1. Prologue

July at Shell Cottage

--

Prologue

--

This is just an introduction to the actual story--nothing too juicy yet, but I'm just gauging interest for a continuation to it. Tell me what you guys think.

--

It wasn't as idyllic as Hermione imagined it would be. Yes, the weather was lovely most of the time; the beach looked brilliant white against the azure ocean, and the forest was thick and lush with new growth. It was hot enough to wear a bathing suit everywhere, and secluded enough to make such a choice acceptable. In the evenings, the calls of nocturnal birds filled the air, and the temperatures dropped drastically, to the point where warm jumpers were necessary. It was just like an advertisement in a glossy brochure; Hermione could literally recline in a hammock, get some color to her library-pale skin, and listen to the ocean. At first it was paradise, but then a certain restlessness came upon her. Hermione would awaken each day realizing full well that it would be nearly identical to the last. She would help Fleur with breakfast, go swimming for a bit, read for a bit on the beach, play with the dog, have lunch with Fleur, wait for Bill to come home, so on and so on. It became, in a word, boring, after the years of nerve-wracking, sometimes terrifying excitement.

Perhaps that's what led to it all, the sex that is. A full month of vacation time sprawled out endlessly before her, and she needed something structured to fill her day with. There was nothing in particular to look forward to. She knew that her two best friends were training in Siberia and wouldn't be back before the end of July. After a few days at Shell Cottage, Gabrielle Delacour arrived.

She stepped out of the fireplace wearing Muggle denim shorts and a tank top with big, modern sunglasses and her silvery, silken hair pulled back into a high pony tail. Hermione noticed right away how the girl had grown; now seventeen, she was still on the short side, though her figure was definitely more womanly. Hermione took in these new details as a detached observer; after all, it would be difficult for anyone, man or woman, not to notice two such perky, full breasts on such a slim figure. Gabrielle was on vacation as well, though she was on a mission as well. She was falling behind in potions and Hermione had accepted to become her tutor in the subject. She would be paid at the end of the summer a very decent amount of money for her work, not to mention that she had a new escape from boredom.

It wasn't soon after that that things began getting interesting. Gabrielle went for a swim with Hermione. When they returned, Gabrielle's hair was tucked up on her head to avoid showing how she had messed it up. Hermione's lips were slightly swollen. She had a light pink bruise on her collarbone. Fleur could piece together the rest.

It was the first time Hermione had sexual contact with a woman. It was the first time she had sexual contact outdoors. It was the first time she had sexual contact while waves crashed against her. And she would never forget it, partially because that instance in and of itself was spectacular, and partially because it liberated her. It set of a chain of events more radical and crazy than most people would dare experience. According to Hermione's innermost thoughts, she had more sex that month than married couples do in a year, and she had more partners than most people do in a lifetime.

It was one hell of a sweltering July at Shell Cottage.

--

Because this is just a prologue and I'm not sure if I should actually write this, I need reviews to know if it's worth it. I know it's a bit more tell than show right now, but I promise a more engaging story if we get this thing rolling.


	2. Chapter 1

July at Shell Cottage

--

Chapter 1

--

"Fleur!" Gabrielle exclaimed as soon as she emerged from the mantle. The name sounded like a quick gasp in her heavy French accent. The two blonde sisters ran to embrace each other as Gabrielle dropped her heavy luggage onto the rug.

Hermione felt awkward, like an outsider, as she watched them hug each other tightly, both clad in skin-tight summer clothing. Gabrielle was babbling rapidly in perfect French to her sister, commenting on Fleur's tan, from what Hermione could understand. Fleur responded by admiring her sister's physique. The conversation slowly melted into the more excited, sensational tone of gossip, and Hermione began picking French names out of the conversation. The girls giggled girlishly, and it was only then that Fleur remembered Hermione, standing nearby in shorts and a t-shirt.

"Oh! Gabrielle, you remember 'erhione, no?" Her French accent was more pronounced after her recent immersion into it.

Gabrielle turned toward Hermione, her long silvery ponytail swinging behind her and brushing against her back. Hermione's breath hitched unexpectedly when the young girl's eyes fixed on hers. They were brilliantly blue, almost artificial in their brightness and clarity. The two perfect sapphires of her wide, innocent eyes were framed perfectly by elfish features and a sweet expression.

"Of course!" she exclaimed as she bounced over to where Hermione stood. She wrapped her soft arms around Hermione, enveloping her in a sweet, light fragrance. Hermione suddenly felt self-conscious with her frizzy hair swept into an untidy bun and a light layer of sticky sweat coating her skin. She felt disheveled and unattractive next to the two sisters. "Eet iz so nice to see you again. You will tutor me in Potions and Eenglish, oui?"

"Er … English?" Hermione only remembered agreeing to tutor Gabrielle in Potions, though she was both willing and able to take on the additional subject.

"Oh, oui, I almost forgot! My parents want me to be more educate in Eenglish. Zey wanted me to geev you a letter…" She dipped a hand into the back pocket of her shorts and pulled out a neatly-folded note on sturdy parchment.

Hermione read over the note. It was written in neat, sloping handwriting and it asked her in brief if it would be possible for Hermione to tutor Gabrielle in English. An additional sum of money was offered, and it was signed by the girl's mother. Hermione tucked the note away, making a mental note to reply later.

"Of course, I'll be happy to."

Both sisters beamed at her, flashing brilliantly white, straight teeth behind full, pouty lips.

--

They had a pleasant, light, quiet lunch on the veranda, in the shade, after which Fleur left for the local market in a gauzy white summer dress and a wide-brimmed hat. Gabrielle and Hermione lay out in the fresh, bright grass with some Potions textbooks. The leafy tree overhead provided a dappled sort of shade, and summer birds sang musically in the background. It smelled like freshly-mowed grass and flowers. The ocean rustled invitingly in the distance and gulls squawked impatiently near the shore.

"So, what would happen if you put too much mallowsweet into a sleeping draught?" Hermione quizzed her pupil, who was sprawled out in the grass in a most unprofessional manner.

Gabrielle rolled over onto her stomach lazily. "I don't know," she grumbled. "Let's take a break, oui?" she suggested, looking out toward the white, powdery beach just down the hill. "We will study later," she promised. Again, her sapphire eyes bored into Hermione, and she lost her ability to think coherently for a moment.

"Er … yes, all right. I suppose it could improve your concentration," Hermione reasoned. She too was drawn to the rolling blue ocean and the bright sunshine.

They made their way down the grassy hill and onto the beach. Fleur led Hermione along the shore and into the place where tall, sheer cliffs bordered the ocean. They walked ankle deep in the ocean, where the white foam around the edges fizzed gently against Hermione's skin.

Gabrielle moved through the water and sand with a certain ease. She had released her hair from its tie, and it streamed down her back like molten silver. She never stumbled or hesitated or stubbed her toes, and somehow Hermione couldn't take her eyes off the younger girl's graceful movements. Her eyes wandered appreciatively over her slim waist and full breasts, assuming that Gabrielle didn't notice her gaze.

Gabrielle stretched her arms above her head. "I want to suntan a leetle. Come wiz me?" She left the water in favor the sand and, when she found a good spot, peeled her tank top off. Hermione had to restrain a gasp when Gabrielle's smooth, flat stomach and firm breasts were suddenly exposed. Though she wore a bikini top, there was little left to the imagination. Her nipples even pressed very slightly through the thin fabric.

Gabrielle pulled her shorts down next, exposing a perfectly rounded arse and long, smooth legs.

What surprised Hermione most, however, was when Gabrielle undid the clasp of her bathing suit and removed it. Hermione watched as her nipples hardened, entranced. While she didn't consider herself a lesbian in any sense of the word, she was finding it difficult to control her body's response to Gabrielle's perfection. "What are you doing?" she breathed, looking around for any passers by who might see.

"What?" Gabrielle asked innocently as she settled into the sand. "We have many nude beaches in France. We are only women here, non?"

Somehow, that logic made sense to Hermione. She dropped into the sand and inhaled the ocean air, still engrossed by the younger girl's flawless body.

"I wish to begin my fist Eeglish lesson," Gabrielle said.

"All right," Hermione agreed, slightly confused. "I don't have any books here, though. I have to send for them—"

"We do not need books," Gabrielle assured her. "I just want to ask a few sings."

"Go ahead," Hermione said.

"What are zeez?" Gabrielle asked, cupping her breasts gently in her palms.

Hermione blushed when her gaze lingered too long on Gabrielle's flesh. "Breasts," she whispered, looking up into those brilliant eyes.

"And zeez?" Gabrielle asked softly, running her thumbs very gently over her light pink nipples.

Hermione gulped. "Nipples."

"And zeez?" She placed her hands on her hips.

"Hips." Hermione's voice was getting hoarse.

"And, um, zis?" Gabrielle's hands edged toward each other and toward the juncture of her legs.

"That's, uh, that's a vagina." Hermione's cheeks burned. She wasn't used to discussing these things, especially not with those who she didn't know well.

"But zer are ozer names for eet no?" She was smiling brightly, rubbing the insides of her thighs with her fingers.

Hermione chuckled. "Yes, a few."

"Wat are zey?"

Hermione blushed deeper. She looked out over the ocean. "Er, well, I'm not sure that's entirely appropriate."

"Go ahead, tell me. Eet's just a lesson," Gabrielle whispered sweetly.

"Well, one would be, erm … I can't believe I'm saying this," she said with a chuckle. "One would be … pussy."

Gabrielle leaned in toward Hermione. "Say it again," she breathed.

Hermione's brain raced in an attempt to make sense of the situation. "I'd rather not." Her eyes were fixed Gabrielle's full lips, which were not just inches from hers, and she felt the need to explain things quietly slip away. All she could hear was Gabrielle's even breathing and the ocean sighing in front of them.

"Come on, say it," Gabrielle repeated. She didn't give Hermione a chance to obey the request, though, because in the next instant she pressed her lips to Hermione's.

Hermione had kissed a boy before; two boys to be exact, but Viktor was too rough and Ron too stiff and nervous. Gabrielle's lips were softer than either man's, and Hermione didn't feel the need to think or work in order for the kiss to work. Her lips flew open in rhythm to Gabrielle's and her tongue met hers smoothly. It was an electric feeling that Hermione had never quite hit with anybody else. Gabrielle was so smooth and soft and sexy, and Hermione didn't stop to think whether this was right or wrong. All she could feel was this soft yet passionate kiss.

Gabrielle pushed Hermione down against the sand, flat on her back, and lay on top of her, supporting her weight strategically with her knees and elbows. Hot arousal spread out from between Hermione's legs as Gabrielle began kissing her neck, hitting sensitive nerves with light licks.

The girl's mouth traveled downward, toward Hermione's collarbone, where she began sucking on her skin. Hermione arched her back slightly, her shoulders pressing against the scalding sand as Gabrielle's soft, feminine hand found the inside of Hermione's thigh and moved upward.

Gabrielle cupped Hermione's sex through her underwear gently and went back to kissing the space below her ear. Her hand was warm against her and Hermione was suddenly desperate to have Gabrielle dip her hand inside her underwear. Before she could stop herself, a barely-audible whimper escaped her mouth.

Gabrielle smiled against Hermione's neck. She nipped Hermione's earlobe gently and whispered in her ear. "Do you want me to touch you?" she purred in mock innocence.

"Yes," Hermione breathed. Her clit was throbbing, and Hermione was desperate for somebody's touch.

Gabrielle kissed Hermione on the lips again, her warm tongue touching Hermione's bottom lip. Her fingers quickly worked under the waistband of her underwear and finally found the small bud of nerves at Hermione's center. Like a puppet on a string, Hermione instantly arched her back and moaned softly against Gabrielle's soft mouth. She was beginning to sweat in the heat, making the white sand stick to her skin.

"You're so wet," Gabrielle whispered hotly. She pushed a finger inside Hermione, still rubbing her clitoris gently with her palm. She curled her finger up and Hermione saw stars. Gabrielle had found a spot that Hermione didn't even know existed, but somehow she was probing at something very sensitive. Gabrielle slowly drew her finger out and began to reenter her with two.

Suddenly, Gabrielle's touch felt intrusive and uncomfortable; she couldn't insert more than a few millimeters until Hermione whimpered softly.

Gabrielle pulled her angelic face back from Hermione's and stared at her in surprise. "Are you a virgin?" she whispered.

Hermione nodded once. She didn't care anymore about how she looked or what she was doing; she was lost completely in the feeling of Gabrielle's touch, and all she wanted was to have that sensation back. Instead of going back to work, however, Gabrielle's lips curled up coyly. Her hands pushed Hermione's dress up around her waist, then pulled her underwear off.

The warm, summer air felt cool against Hermione's wet folds. By instinct, she sat up for just long enough to pull her dress up over her head. Gabrielle settled in between her spread legs and placed a soft kiss on the inside of Hermione's knee. It was the single most erotic moment of Hermione's life, vulnerable and displayed before another person. She had never been more aroused in her entire life.

Gabrielle's kisses worked their way upward, closer and closer to the aching juncture of Hermione's thighs. Finally, her mouth hovered just above Hermione's sex, and Hermione was panting softly in anticipation. She looked down, straight into Gabrielle's crystal eyes, and then Gabrielle eased her tongue out of her mouth.

The feeling was incomparable to anything Hermione had ever felt before. Gabrielle's tongue was hot and wet, and it manipulated her clit like a finger never could. Hermione came violently in seconds, screaming as pleasure more powerful than a lightning bolt ripped through her. Her orgasm seemed to tear her off the ground and into the air wildly. Hermione arched her back dramatically, as though her body was too small a vessel for the feeling charging through it. She felt like she had been electrocuted, and she shook violently as she came down from her high.

When Hermione's eyes could finally focus on any one thing again, she sat up weakly and looked at Gabrielle, who was sitting next to her coyly. Hermione's breathing was still ragged and irregular, and Gabrielle looked very proud of her work.

"Want to cool off?" she asked sweetly.

Hermione chuckled through her panting. She actually was sweating and the orgasm seemed to have eliminated all her energy. "That actually sounds quite good right now."

"Come on." Gabrielle pulled Hermione up on her feet and led her toward the vast, blue ocean.

--

All right, so this is the first chapter. Tell me what you thought! (**Seriously, you better leave reviews!!**)


	3. Chapter 2

July at Shell Cottage

--

Chapter 2

--

As they approached home, Hermione's mind buzzed with questions. Was Gabrielle a lesbian? Was _she _a lesbian? Did this signal the beginning of a relationship? No, of course not, Hermione told herself. Though she did look at Gabrielle much differently; her flowing, wet blonde hair and slender body weren't just beautiful to Hermione, like a work of art, they were _sexy_. She wanted to touch her again, and to be touched by her, though she was not sure whether or not there was any deep emotion behind that desire.

Gabrielle pushed the screen door open with a loud creaking sound, and Hermione heard soft conversation buzzing inside the living room. She was a bit confused—Bill wasn't supposed to be home yet, and Hermione wasn't told that Fleur was expecting visitors.

Gabrielle led the way through the small foyer and toward the living room. A gruff, masculine voice, spoken in a soft, friendly tone, was accompanied by Fleur's tinkling laughter.

Just when Hermione was out of guesses, she turned into the room, where she found Charlie Weasley seated in an overstuffed armchair across from Fleur. The two of them glanced up quickly as Hermione and Gabrielle entered, and Hermione watched Gabrielle's eyes light up.

"Charlie!" she gasped as she ran over to him. She stood behind the armchair and leaned over to kiss him on his freckled cheek sweetly. Her damp hair fell over his shoulder like a curtain.

"Hello, Gabby. Hey, Hermione," Charlie greeted them. "Gabby, you've grown," he commented as he glanced over his shoulder and—perhaps accidentally—into her cleavage. Nobody in the room missed his appreciative tone, and Hermione suddenly felt a tiny stab of jealousy.

"Sank you!" Gabrielle replied, squeezing him momentarily around the shoulders.

A high whistling sound came from the kitchen and Fleur sprang onto her feet. "Oh! Zat eez ze tea. I will be back," she said as she disappeared through the doorway.

Hermione sat next to Fleur's now-empty seat on the sofa. She took a moment to look Charlie over—something she hadn't had the opportunity to do in a while. He was still tall and bulky, with very thick and muscled arms and a broad chest. His flaming red hair was cropped short and his green eyes sparkled in the natural light streaming in through the windows. His whole face was littered in fine, light freckles, more intense than those of his brothers because of prolonged exposure to strong sunlight. The only thing more intriguing than his rugged good looks, however, was his whole attitude; the way he sat in the armchair and how comfortable he was with a beautiful girl draped over him spoke volumes on confidence. In short, he looked good.

"What brings you 'ere?" Gabrielle cooed near his ear.

"I'm on holiday and the whether near the Burrow is shitty. I thought I'd drop by."

"You must be tired from ze trip," Gabrielle suggested as she began massaging his shoulders with her slender, graceful fingers.

Charlie hung his head, clearly delighted. "How do you always do that so well, Gabby?" he murmured rhetorically. Gabrielle just smirked, clearly flattered.

Hermione blushed. Under ordinary circumstances, this scene would make her uncomfortable—she never enjoyed watching moments of intimacy between others, but now it was even more bizarre. When she looked at Gabrielle she remembered the way her breasts looked covered in seawater, her nipples stiff from the cold. She couldn't believe that she was engaging in sexual activity with this girl an hour ago, and now she was hanging off a man she barely knew.

"Mum told me you're here for all of July, Hermione?" Charlie asked. His eyes were still closed, and he was clearly enjoying Gabrielle's ministrations, so he seemed distracted when he spoke.

"Yes. I'm tutoring Gabrielle in Potions … and English. I figured I should enjoy my holiday even if Ron and Harry _are_ on an Auror bonding retreat in Siberia." Her tone held an edge of bitterness.

Just then, Fleur came back into the room carrying a tray with four cups of tea. Hermione tried sipping her tea but splashed a little on herself when she overheard a bit of what Gabrielle was whispering into Charlie's ear.

--

She had told him, in slithering, whispered tones, to sit in that same armchair at one o'clock that night. At ten o'clock, Hermione retired to bed. By that point, Bill had come home, and was enjoying his brother's surprise company with his wife and Gabrielle. The room was suddenly divided into pairs, and Hermione felt awkward as the fifth person, so she left for her room quietly.

When strained her ears, she could hear little bits of the conversation downstairs trickle up to her. It was nothing distinguishable, but it assured her that they were still up. The laughter and nostalgic conversation continued just past midnight when Bill and Fleur retired to their room. Though they were across the hall from Hermione, soft moans and groans still reached her ears, and she heard their headboard knock against the wall gently.

Gabrielle left for her room as well, though Hermione knew it was just an act for Fleur; she would return a bit later to see Bill again. All the while, Hermione sat on her bed with an open book. She hadn't flipped the page once since she got settled into bed, nearly two hours ago. She was too preoccupied by what was going on outside her room and her own mixed thoughts about the day.

Just when Hermione was starting to pay attention to her book, she heard the soft hissing of the shower, and assumed it was Gabrielle. She imagined the hot water turning Gabrielle's skin tender and pink, and her wet hair covering part of her perfect arse. When Hermione heard the bathroom door click open, she was suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to step out of her room, just for a moment, just to see Gabrielle for an instant, but she held herself back.

When she heard Gabrielle walking down the stairs, however, Hermione's jumping nerves won out, and she decided to go she Gabrielle, even if just for a moment. Hermione's heart hammered as she crept down the stairs, listening to the soft murmurs between Gabrielle and Charlie. She felt like a spy, like there would be serious consequences if she was caught, but she couldn't force herself to go back up the stairs.

The air was laced with the floral scent of Gabrielle's shampoos and soaps, which Hermione found quite intoxicating.

Finally, when she got halfway down the staircase, Charlie came into view, still sitting in that armchair, though now his soft eyes were swimming with tangible lust, because Gabrielle stood directly in front of him, her fingers curling around the edges of the towel she wore. Hermione watched, licking her lips, as Gabrielle slowly began to take the towel apart.

Charlie peeled his t-shirt off, revealing an extraordinarily sculpted torso with a dragon tattoo on one side of his chest, its tail swinging back and forth over his abdominal muscles. Hermione caught a very low growl coming from his throat as he watched Gabrielle, completely entranced.

She held the towel open, and then suddenly dropped it. Hermione's mouth watered when she caught sight of Gabrielle's soft skin, her breasts rising and falling with her breathing. Her eyes were slightly lidded with desire as she came up to Charlie and kneeled in front of him. Hermione's eyes widened as Gabrielle undid Charlie's belt and he raised his hips to help her slide his trousers off.

Charlie's cock was the first one that Hermione had seen so up-close, and she found herself fascinated by it. His penis was long and thick and hard, with a single blue vein running up the underside. Gabrielle looked up into his eyes as she licked her lips slowly and seductively, and then licked the tip of his cock.

Charlie shuddered slightly, his dragon tattoo flicking its tail erratically. Gabrielle grasped the base of his cock in her little hands and enveloped his head in her mouth. Charlie emitted a barely-audible moan, and Hermione could tell she was doing something very enjoyable with her tongue. Gabrielle's mouth slid down, then back up expertly, working in time with her hands, then she returned to working with her tongue. Charlie's hand grasped her hair at the back of her neck, his other hand resting on her shoulder. His eyes rolled back in his head as Gabrielle sucked him again, and his head rolled back against the armchair.

"Holy shit, Gabby, I didn't know what I was missing," he murmured as his hold on her hair tightened. Gabrielle's mouth slid down a little further, and Hermione wondered how she didn't choke or even show signs of discomfort. She drew back slowly, her cheeks hollow from the force of her suction.

"Okay, stop," Charlie instructed hoarsely, pulling her up to her feet gently. "I won't last," he explained calmly.

Gabrielle smirked, clearly proud of herself, and straddled his hips.

Charlie's large, calloused hands toyed with her breasts as he kissed her breathlessly. Their tongues tangled erotically as one of his hands slid between her legs. Both of them groaned softly, and Gabrielle arched her back dramatically, allowing Charlie's lips unrestricted access to her smooth, pale neck.

Charlie's mouth left red, wet marks along her neck as it moved down to her breasts, his hand still working some expert rhythm on her clit. Gabrielle reached down between her legs and wrapped one slender hand around his shaft, pumping up and down a few times before positioning the head against her.

Charlie's strong hands rested on her hips, both their breathing ragged and heavy. Hermione couldn't take it any longer. Though she was in the middle of a house that didn't belong to her, still her hand crept under the waistband of her pajama pants and she began rubbing herself through her panties.

Gabrielle eased herself down onto Charlie slowly, her eyes closed. Charlie groaned as more and more of him was swallowed up by her, his fingers closing tighter around her hips. Finally, Gabrielle sank down onto him completely and began to move in quick, jerking movements. Charlie helped her movements along with his hands.

His mouth found one of her nipples and began rolling it in his mouth. Gabrielle's hands used the armrests for leverage, and Hermione watched, entranced, as they began panting and sweating and grinding against each other. Their moans and groans got louder and more passionate, though still not loud enough to reach anyone upstairs. One of Gabrielle's hands curled in Charlie's hair and pulled on it gently. She began to murmur something unintelligible in French, lost completely in her own world. Charlie, meanwhile, was muttering various obscenities.

Suddenly, Gabrielle gasped something in rapid French and arched her back.

"You coming?" Charlie guessed in a whisper. At those words, Hermione lost it. She fell over the brink, into orgasm's abyss, suppressing a shudder as her body shook.

Gabrielle nodded once and then passion seemed to overthrow her. She trembled slightly and moaned as her fingernails dug into Charlie's shoulders. Then, slowly, she returned from her high, panting and gasping. Charlie shuddered slightly a moment after, and then collapsed, completely spent. He wrapped his arms around Gabrielle's waist and held her close to himself, his lips nestled into her neck. Gabrielle raked her nails up and down his forearms gently. Hermione scampered back into her room, shocked and aroused at the same time. She realized at that moment that she couldn't possibly have true feelings for Gabrielle, because she wanted quiet badly to have Charlie's cock inside her.

--

**I really appreciate that people take the time to read this, but if you could take an additional moment to review (even annonymously!), it means a lot and helps me push the story forward.**

**PS: Anyone who reviewed any of my fanfiction before knows that I always respond to feedback and am very welcoming of any critisism!!**


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

--

"Do you know that it's rude to watch if you're not gonna offer to help out?" Hermione suddenly heard Charlie's gruff voice behind her. She jumped, sending ripples out in the water.

"W-what?" Hermione's mind reeled. Had he seen her? What would he do now? Was he angry? He didn't sound angry.

"Sex isn't really a spectator sport," he explained, "and last night was sort of a private match."

"Um … I don't know what you're talking about," Hermione said. She could tell it was almost hopeless to lie, but some desperate instinct pushed the words out of her mouth.

"You watched Gabby and I fuck on the armchair last night," he whispered. His tone was much more sensual now, and Hermione found herself melting under his softer voice. Charlie's fingers began creeping around her hips.

Hermione gulped. There was no use in denying it now, though she was still horribly embarrassed. "How did you know it was me?"

"You're, er," Charlie paused, as though thinking of the most delicate way to continue. "You're not the quietest person when you're touching yourself," he said gently.

Hermione blushed deeply. She had never been so humiliated in her life, so exposed, unintentionally, to another.

"Does, uh … does Gabrielle know?" Hermione asked softly. At that point, she could only hope that her voyeurism could be kept a secret between the two of them.

Charlie snickered and took his hands off Hermione. He splashed her gently. "What difference does it make? She already knows what you sound like when you come."

Hermione's eyes widened. "What? She told you that?" She sank lower into the water, down to her chin, as though she could hide from him.

Charlie smirked and crouched down in the water next to her, to be at eye level with her.

"We're friends," he explained.

"More than friends?" Hermione asked instantly.

Charlie laughed, as though the question was absurd. "Of course not. Besides, Fleur told me too. She saw it as soon as you came in with Gabby."

Hermione glanced at Charlie, and then looked away quickly. He was wearing a very amused facial expression.

"Is something funny?" Hermione asked as she looked out over the beach.

"You're quite adorable when you're embarrassed," Charlie said.

Hermione splashed water at his face, leaving him sputtering, and backed away, deeper into the ocean. Charlie followed her.

"Why'd you do it?" he asked, hovering near her.

Hermione dunked her head under the water and came back up quickly.

"I don't know," she confessed.

Charlie waded over to where she stood. He towered over her as he ran his hands up her arms, a trace of a smile lining his lips. "But you liked what you saw."

An expression of shock crossed Hermione's face. How dare he insinuate such a thing? Of course, he was right, but still it unnerved Hermione that he was so blunt about sexual matters.

Charlie laughed. "Hey, I'm joking. Don't be offended."

The water sloshed gently around them and Hermione felt the sand suck her toes into itself. She could feel the familiar flush of arousal color her cheeks. She imagined her pupils dilating, but at the same time she told herself not to expect anything from Charlie—any man who slept with Gabrielle obviously wouldn't be interested, even remotely, in her. She felt like a schoolgirl with a rather obvious crush on a boy far more popular than herself, despite the absurdity of such a thing at that point in her life.

Hermione gathered as much water as possible with her arms and splashed Charlie, hitting him in the face. She retreated as he recovered from the sudden blow, sputtering.

"You're going to pay for that," Charlie warned as he pounced after her into the water.

Though Hermione knew he was joking, a small rush of adrenaline kicked in and she propelled herself farther away.

Of course, Charlie was faster, and he caught up with her within seconds. He put one strong hand on her shoulder, and the other on the crown of her head and pushed her down under the water.

Though the physical contact was friendly at best, Hermione loved the feel of his hands on her skin. He seemed to control her while exerting so little effort, which amazed her for a brief instant. She began to blush while still under the surface and then suddenly, in all her gracefulness, got a nose full of seawater, and emerged back into the sunshine gasping.

"You idiot!" Hermione joked, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

Charlie shrugged and fell back into the water. "It's your own fault. You asked for it. You should learn to breathe underwater, Granger."

His goading prompted Hermione to release some of her inhibitions. She launched herself at Charlie, trying to return his attack. He proved to be unmovable, however.

"Are you … are you trying to push me under the water?" he asked sarcastically. "Is that what you're trying to do? Do you require assistance—you seem to be having some difficulty."

Hermione just splashed water at him playfully. The sun was beginning to set, lighting the small, wispy clouds a beautiful shade of pumpkin orange. The air was beginning to chill, and Hermione heard the Delacours' dog barking joyfully from the yard, which always signaled Bill's arrival.

Charlie stood up in the waist-deep water. "Bill's home. Shall we…?" he gestured toward the cottage and Hermione nodded.

--

Hermione was shivering by the time she arrived back at Shell Cottage, and she decided to take a quick, hot shower before dinner. Dressed in her warmest flannel pajamas, she enjoyed a warm, friendly dinner with some of her closest friends outside of Ron and Harry. She tried to ignore the two sexual encounters she had been present for in the last day and instead focused on the conversation and the food.

After dinner, Bill and Fleur watched the sun's last rays disappear over the ocean from their front porch. They shared what looked a bit like a cigarette, but smelled a bit like burning sage. Gabrielle had gone out for a swim with Charlie despite the cold, and Hermione curled up with her book in the armchair, the dog curled at her feet.

She couldn't focus on the book, however. All she could think about was what Charlie and Gabrielle had done on that armchair the previous night. She gripped the armrests and imagined what it would feel like to come while squeezing the soft fabric. She imagined how it would feel rubbing against Charlie's back. At one point, after double- and triple-checking the windows to make sure nobody was coming, she sat facing the chair's back, the way that Gabrielle was positioned over Charlie. She tried to move on top of the imaginary body beneath her, mimicking Gabrielle's movements; the way she arched her back and threw her head backward. It was the sort of thing Hermione was embarrassed to do even alone, and so she quickly turned back to her novel.

She read fewer than thirty pages before the front door creaked open and Bill and Fleur walked in. Bill stretched happily, yawned, and went up to bed, while Fleur crossed into living room, wearing what appeared to be nothing but Bill's large flannel shirt.

"Oh, 'erhiome!" she exclaimed, startled.

"Sorry. Did I scare you?" Hermione asked as she put her book down.

"No, no. What are your plans for ze evening?"

Hermione gestured toward the book. "Reading. Then bed, I suppose."

"Zat's boring. Let's go for a walk. Eets a beautiful night. Ze stars are lovely."

"All right," Hermione agreed. "Let me just go change."

"Why? Zer eez nobody around. Let's go."

Hermione had never taken a walk in pajamas, but she realized Fleur was right. They strolled along a cliff's edge, listening to the ocean. Fleur walked barefoot through the grass. The moon was bright enough that they didn't need additional light.

"How has work been?" Hermione asked conversationally.

"At Gringotts, I am sinking of leaving," Fleur said.

"What? I had no idea. Why?"

"I 'av been offered a teaching assistant job at Beauxbatons, and eet would pay more and eet eez more prestigious, but I do not want to leave 'ere. Eet eez beautiful 'ere, and eet 'as a certain magic about it…" She sighed deeply. "But I 'ave not told Bill yet, so do not say anysing!" she added quickly.

Hermione was shocked that Fleur trusted her with such private information. "How deeply are you considering it?" was all she could think to ask.

Fleur shrugged. "I don't know yet. I only got ze offer last week." She sighed again. "Bill got me ze job at Gringotts, and eet was so good to work next to 'im."

"I thought you only met him after starting work."

Fleur remained silent for a moment. "I was underage when we first met. Eet was improper. We decided to tell a white lie about when she met."

Hermione blushed. She had no idea their relationship had this unusual complication and she was quite at a loss for words. "Oh."

Fleur sat down on the cliff's edge overlooking the beach and the plump, white moon. "You smoke?" she asked as she took a tiny bag of weed out of her pocket.

"Er, no." Hermione had never known Fleur to engage in smoking marijuana, and it was the first time she saw the crushed, dry plant in person. She looked around instinctively as though they were surrounded by Ministry official.

Fleur shrugged and tucked the drug away. She licked her lips and turned toward Hermione.

"My sister eez so different from myself," she started. "I saved my virginity for marriage, zo' after zat I experimented." Hermione's heart started racing. Was she imagining this? "And she 'as already been wiz men and women," Fleur touched Hermione's arm with her fingertips then. "She 'as been wiz you," she cooed, her breath touching Hermione's face gently.

"You've been with other men?" Hermione breathed. She tried to steady her pulse and her breathing but for some goddamn reason it wouldn't work.

Fleur shrugged. "Bill 'as been wiz ozer women. We 'ave an open marriage. Ze only rule eez zat we share." Her eyes, almost as brilliantly blue as her sister's, glinted mysteriously in the moonlight. And then Fleur kissed Hermione, her soft lips colliding with hers. Fleur had thinner lips than her sister, and she kissed her very softly, without pressing against her insistently. Her elegant fingers rested against her shoulders, then suddenly she pulled away, and Hermione tried her hardest to resist the urge to lean in after her.

"Just like we will share you."

--

--

--

All right, so this chapter wasn't _too _graphic, but have faith okay? I'm setting stuff up here....

Anyways, getting **reviews **always puts a big ol' smile on my face, so please please don't be shy--I'm always interested to hear what you guys have to say.


	5. Chapter 4

July at Shell Cottage

--

Chapter 4

--

A rather spicy piece, if I do say so myself, with an approach that varies slightly from other chapters. Share your thoughts, please!

--

Hermione felt something drop in her stomach. She suddenly felt cold and numb at the same time. "What?"

Just then, a small, musical laugh sounded down by the beach, and Gabrielle emerged from behind the cliff, running toward the water in a skimpy bikini, her silver hair fluttering after her. She seemed no more than a few inches tall from Hermione's perspective. Charlie ran after her and caught her around the waist, swinging her around a few times before nudging her toward the water. They disappeared from view between the thick branches of a nearby tree, the sounds of their laughter echoing after them like perfume lingering in the air.

Fleur chuckled and stood up. "We will go back now, oui?" She began walking back toward the house.

Hermione scrambled after her. Her limbs felt like balloons and she kept tripping over the protruding roots that Fleur avoided with ease. "Wait," she stammered. "Go back to what you just said. I … I don't … well, I don't think I want to be … shared. I'm a person, you know." She knew that there was no reason to be offended, but still Fleur's offhand decision about Hermione's future made her blush angrily.

Fleur laughed and shrugged. "Your choice. But I sink you may change your mind," she added cryptically. "Don't be afraid. Like I said, zis 'ouse 'as some magic to eet. Eet changed people. It 'as changed you, non?"

Hermione didn't answer right away. Fleur was right; the house did have some odd properties that unwound her inhibitions. Maybe it was the crystal clear expanses of sky or the salty smell of the ocean or the almost complete seclusion, but _something_ about it made it clearly unique. Still, Hermione felt uncomfortable with Fleur's question. "Do you need any help in the kitchen tomorrow?" she changed the subject.

Fleur frowned. "I don't sink so."

"All right then, I think I'll want to explore the market a bit in the afternoon."

Fleur shrugged. "I don't know what eez so interesting zer, but if you want, go."

--

Hermione felt that she needed at least a few hours away from Shell Cottage, just to breathe. She chose the local market because at least she would get to see a few new faces.

Fleur was in the kitchen, cooking, and Bill, taking advantage of the weekend, was kissing her neck from behind and grabbing her arse. Gabrielle was visiting friends in Hogsmead. Charlie was spread out over the entire sofa, fanning himself with a magazine, when Hermione left for town, which was located a few miles away. It was relaxing just to listen to the shuffling of her footsteps against the dirt road, knowing that each step took her farther away from the source of all her confusion.

Before she made it half a mile away, though, she heard someone running after her. When she turned around, she saw Chalie come into view from around a corner.

She waited for him to catch up to her before asking, "What are you doing?"

"You should've told me you're going into town," he panted. "I want to come."

"Oh. All right."

"Why are you walking? Why not Apparate?"

Hermione shrugged. "It's nice out, and walking is relaxing." The familiar flush was creeping into her cheeks. She couldn't help the childish reaction to being alone with somebody so attractive.

"So, why do you want to go into town, anyway?" Charlie asked.

"I've never seen it before. It seems that I should at least see the nearby town if I'm on holiday," Hermione explained.

The town of Donnawill was a collection of old, rough stone houses strung together by ancient cobblestone and brick road. It stood right on the edge of a tall, sheer cliff overlooking the ocean. No more than three hundred people totaled the town's population. The town was organized in a round, spider's-web like shape, with rough circles of houses working inward toward a large square in the center. The center was usually home to a colorful market, with vendors selling fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and some clothing in decorative booths. The more permanent stores lodged into the surrounding buildings were modest and small, each with its own specialty. There was only one of everything; one book store, one bakery, one robe shop. The town was too small for much competition between vendors.

Hermione and Charlie didn't talk much as they browsed between the wooden booths.

"Hey, hold on a second," Charlie exclaimed as he dragged her off toward a black booth displaying various objects for the care of magical creatures. "I've been looking for gloves like these everywhere!" He slipped on a pair of large, leather gloves—nothing out of the ordinary to Hermione's eye.

"Why?"

"They're fireproof, waterproof, they take years to wear down, they don't restrict the hand's movements…" he trailed off as he inspected the leather.

Hermione shook her head jokingly. "I want to go to the bookstore. I'll meet you later, all right?"

Charlie nodded his head distractedly and began arguing over a price for the gloves.

There was a sign on the door to the bookstore. _Out to Lunch. Feel free to look around, -- Em._

Hermione stepped inside. Specks of dusts swirled in shafts of bright light when she stirred the air. The store had the familiar, stale scent and muted color palate of a library. Red and brown leather-bound books with gold embossing on the spines lined the walls. She ran her fingertips over the spines, overwhelmed by her discovery. Most of the titles she had never heard of before, and she could tell the books were rare and out-of-print. She picked up a thick work of fiction, _Ciao Tesoro_, and began flipping through it. It seemed interesting enough, so she left a mental note to find it again when 'Em.' would return. It was relaxing to step into the unassuming haven. Charlie always seemed so excitable, so ready to tackle any challenge or obstacle. Hermione was that way as well, though she took her time; she researched and studied where Charlie dove in headfirst, all inhibitions cast aside. Though it was hard to explain properly, Hermione almost got tired just by observing his spontaneity.

Stepping out into the glaring sunshine, Hermione blinked, got her bearings and went off in search of Charlie. He was still standing by that same booth, gloves in hand, though now he was surrounded by a small hoard of about five tall, slim girls, all tanned to a deep bronze color. They giggled in unison and murmured something in admiring tones.

Hermione froze, wondering whether or not she should approach them. She felt awkward, standing outside the bookstore, until Charlie's eyes fell on her and she blushed as something intense in his eyes nearly pinned her to the wall behind her. He waved her over and she approached slowly, resisting the urge to fix her hair, or at least do something to not seem horrifically unattractive next to the women surrounding Charlie.

"Hermione! This is Sarah, and Bella, and Isabelle," he introduced the girls slowly, as though still trying to memorize their names. "And Samantha and Kathrine."

Each of the girls gave Hermione a halfhearted nod before returning their attention to Charlie. "Do you really train dragons for a living?" one of them asked. She put a hand on his shoulder and Hermione felt a hot flush of jealousy that came seemingly out of nowhere.

"Yeah." Hermione didn't miss the boastful edge to his voice.

"That sounds so dangerous," another girl cooed stupidly, staring up at Charlie with wide, blue eyes.

"There's a bit of danger involved, though for the most part we take precautions and make sure to stay safe." He was staring at Hermione now, his tone more rushed, the boastfulness gone. "Actually, Hermione and I need to be going though," Charlie explained as he began backing away slowly.

Hermione felt a bit of personal vindication at the fallen look in the girls' eyes.

"Well, here's my address anyway," one of them said, extending a folded scrap of parchment. "Owl me sometime…"

Charlie and Hermione made their way to the outskirts of the market.

"Did you find anything interesting at the bookstore?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, actually. The owner wasn't there so I want to go back to buy it."

"Let's go."

They made their way back to the bookstore, though it was still unoccupied. Hermione found the right shelf quickly. She pulled the book out again and saw Charlie smirk almost immediately.

"What?" Hermione asked, curious about his expression.

"Nothing, it's just, I never knew you were into this sort of literature," he explained, clearly suppressing laughter.

"What do you mean?" Hermione inspected the book closer. It seemed dignified and interesting; she had no idea what he was referring to.

Charlie grabbed the book out of her hands and pointed to a little gold rectangle in the corner on the back cover.

"So what?" Hermione asked.

"So … that's how wizards mark erotic books." Charlie sniggered and started flipping through the pages. "My Hermione, I never knew that this is what you liked to read. If you were this lonely, you should have just told me, I would have taken care of you."

Hermione blushed deeply and tried to snatch the book away. "Just put it back!"

"Wait, wait," Charlie objected as he held the book out of her reach. "I want to find a good part!"

"Charlie, I—"

"Oh, here. Here it is," he interrupted. He cleared his throat and continued in an exaggerated lusty voice, "'Agostino locked eyes with her, sending a shocking jolt of lust over her body.'" Charlie looked up at Hermione, mimicking the glance. "'He kissed her passionately and she moaned into his mouth.' Merlin, it's terrible erotica as well."

Even Hermione's ears were pink by that point. Though she was embarrassed, there was also a certain thrill to it. Yes, the literature was horrible, but hearing Charlie read it out loud had its own sexy appeal. This was the sort of thing beautiful, uninhibited girls laughed about with men, and Hermione was proud of herself for achieving that moment, despite its simplicity.

He scanned over the next few lines and burst out laughing. "This is ridiculous."

And he kissed her. Bravely, unapologetically. Hermione's back knocked gently against the bookcase behind her. Her lips froze against his as her mind reeled. She searched for the moment in time when he leaned in toward her or warned her about what he was about to do, only to realize that no such moment occurred. She wondered where he summoned that sort of courage, and then her body wiped her mind clean. She began to respond to the kiss energetically, running her nails through his hair. His lips were soft against hers, and though the kiss wasn't rough, it was hurried; it simmered.

Charlie brushed the hair of out Hermione's face and he pressed his body close to hers. Her body was cast into shadow by his height.

"I'm never going to let this go, by the way," Charlie muttered as his lips skimmed over her cheek, toward her ear. "You will be hearing about this book for the rest of your life."

Hermione groaned, humiliated. "Can't you just let it go?" she whispered.

Charlie's wet lips closed around her pulse point, sucking gently on the skin. "No." His teeth grazed gently over her skin and a tiny sound akin to a whimper escaped Hermione's mouth. By that point, she didn't care if he _would _tease her forever; all she wanted was for him to keep doing whatever it was he was doing to her. His hands grasped the fabric of her skirt and hiked it up her thighs. One of his hands came to rest against the outside of her thigh and the other grasped her waist. His palm and the pads of his fingers felt hot against her skin.

Charlie's hand wrapped around her thigh to cup her arse.

Possibilities swam wildly through Hermione's head. For a flashing instant, she saw herself marrying Charlie in a forest, though she knew it was just a crazy fantasy that she never really wanted before. Next, she imagined what would happen if 'Em' were to return right at that instant. Would Hermione pull away?"

"Here," he instructed, breaking the string of thoughts short, "get on this thing." He pointed toward a sliding ladder a few feet from where they stood.

Hermione frowned, but complied. Though trembling slightly from the excitement of the past few moments, she began climbing up the ladder. More excitement flushed through her as she wondered what would happen next.

"All right, stop," Charlie said softly when she had climbed the first few steps. "Turn around and sit on the step."

Hermione did what he said, sitting with her knees at eye level with him. Blood pooled in her cheeks and she could tell what was about to happen.

Charlie put a hand on each of her knees and gently pushed them apart. Hermione spread her knees with some hesitation, though she didn't object. Charlie's fingers curled around the waistband of her panties and she rose slightly off the step to allow him to take them off. Hermione felt a bit lightheaded. She had never been so close to a man, and all possible thoughts on the matter were forming an incomprehensible black hole in her mind. She couldn't think straight. All she really knew was the heat that was coursing through her, the instinct to let him keep going.

Charlie's hands slid up her thighs as he kissed her stomach, still covered by a simple cotton shirt. His lips worked lower, toward the juncture of her thighs.

It was embarrassing for Hermione to look down, but she couldn't help stealing glances at Charlie's bright eyes and his strong hold on her. Being so vulnerable, so open for him was something she was unaccustomed to, but it was arousing at the same time.

Charlie parted her slowly with his tongue, exposing her to the cooler air in the shop. Hermione couldn't help imagining what he was seeing; pale pink lips framed by dark curls, her clitoris aching for contact, the little dark hole of her entrance.

"You're really wet," he murmured.

Hermione blushed furiously. She moved to close her legs instinctively but Charlie stopped her.

"Don't be embarrassed." His breath was hot against her thighs, and his cheeks felt a bit rough against her skin. She shifted a bit in her seat, aching for him to begin. Finally, his tongue hit some magic spot—not too sensitive but still pleasurable, the hooded part of her clitoris. The flat side of his tongue moved in rapid circles, from what she could tell. Hermione arched her back almost instantly, her hands gripping his strong shoulders tightly.

She couldn't tell what he was doing with his tongue, and she was damn sure she wouldn't be able to replicate something so expert, but it was sending her into a rapid spiral. It was like sliding over ice without a handhold. She was hopelessly lost in the current of pleasure and she couldn't get a grip on herself. Before her mind could even comprehend how good it felt, she came, calling his name out softly. The pleasure surged through her a drug from a syringe into the bloodstream. It hit her in a violent wave, followed by a less powerful rush of guilt, of feeling dirty and a little sleepy.

She panted as he slowed down, coming out of her high, but then without warning he picked up speed again.

Hermione moaned something in protest, her hands pushing against his shoulders. Her clitoris was sensitive after the powerful orgasm and the feeling was a bit uncomfortable, but before she could form an actual objection, the discomfort melted away into more pleasure.

Her orgasm built up slower this time. Charlie inserted a finger into her slowly, just the way Gabrielle did, though his fingers were thicker and his movements sharper and more aggressive. Hermione's breathing quickened and she could tell she was close again.

Just as the orgasm spiraled upward, dangerously close to its peak, Charlie dipped another finger into her, moving them hard and fast inside her wet heat. His fingers curled very slightly, and Hermione experienced a very brief sensation similar to the need to urinate, and then it was swept away in the most dazzling orgasm of her life.

Stars swam before Hermione's eyes. Logic and balance and strength failed her as she swayed on the thin step, and then finally collapsed.

Charlie caught her around the waist and helped her down onto the floor.

Hermione was disoriented, and so she barely heard the little tinkling sound as someone stepped into the shop.

--

To all who left reviews, thank you so much. Please, please take the time to do so if you have any thoughts whatsoever on the piece.


	6. Chapter 5

July at Shell Cottage

--

Chapter 5

--

Hermione scrambled to pull her skirt down and arrange it properly over her hips and thighs.

"Anyone in here?" a youthful male voice called out.

"Yeah. Hey, Em." Charlie stepped out of around a corner and greeted the man in a completely effortless and nonchalant way.

"Oh, hello Charlie."

"Em, this is Hermione," Charlie said as he yanked her into view by the wrist.

Hermione hadn't finished inspecting herself to make sure she looked decent, and so a telltale blush colored her cheeks.

Em was a tall, thin, clean-shaven man in his mid-twenties. Hermione was expecting a woman, somebody middle-aged named Emily, but Em was actually quite attractive.

"Hello, Hermione. Charlie, it's been months!" he exclaimed as he shook Charlie's, then Hermione's hand. "Did you find anything you wanted?"

"No!" Hermione exclaimed, almost cutting him off.

Em raised his eyebrows at her quick response.

"Yes, actually," Charlie said cheerfully. "Erm, let's see, where did we leave it?" he murmured to himself as he browsed through the shelves.

"Charlie, we really, _really_ don't need it," Hermione said, slightly panicked.

"Here it is!" Charlie extended the book to the shopkeeper, whose smirk was almost identical to Charlie's when he saw the literature.

"It's two galleons."

Charlie dropped the coins into his hand. "Well, we must be going." He took Hermione's hand in his gently, like a boyfriend would, and tugged her toward the door.

"You two enjoy that," Em called after them, his tone making it clear exactly what he meant.

The town swirled by in a blur as they made their way back toward Main Street, which swiveled back to Shell Cottage. All Hermione could think about was the warmth of Charlie's hand covering hers. She could feel the rough quality to his skin and the calluses on his palm. It was clear that he was her exact opposite; a man who worked with his hands, who belonged in some way to the earth.

Despite the rationality she prided herself on, Hermione's imagination went wild constructing romantic scenarios. She thought of the wedding again, of a picnic by the sea. Hermione had never been in love, but surely this fidgety, buttery happiness was it. The feeling was like warm silk running over her skin, over every part of her. Charlie. How had she never seen how attractive he was before? How had it taken so long for these emotions to emerge?

"Did you want to pick anything else up?" Charlie asked. His voice almost startled her, the real Charlie intruding on the imaginary Charlie in her nebulous fantasies.

"Um … no." Back down on the earth, it felt surreal to whisk by all the girls with jealous expressions on their faces.

"You hungry? There's a little restaurant nearby if you want to go…"

Hermione considered this. The first word that came into her mind was _date_, but she pushed it away. She told herself to be realistic, that he never gave her an indication that he wanted to be in a serious relationship. Regardless, she was hungry.

"Sure."

The restaurant had six tables and one waiter. It was refreshingly cold and empty inside, with only one other couple sitting at one of the corner tables. As they sat down, Hermione was overcome by a feeling of self-consciousness, as though her skin remolded itself to her mind and her fantasies, trapping her in the constraints of reality. She wondered if the heat had made her hair frizzy or if her clothing looked right. She wondered why it hadn't occurred to her to put on some makeup that morning.

Charlie managed to calm her down, though, just by shooting the breeze. He was funny, though he didn't try too hard. The waitress who seated them was another tall, attractive woman with long blonde hair, freckles, and dimples. She, too, knew Charlie immediately, but unlike Em she hugged him closely and intimately. She flirted with him shamelessly right in front of Hermione, and Hermione was glad when she disappeared into the kitchen.

"So, just out of curiosity, do you know everybody in this town?" Hermione asked. She sipped her water and tried to focus on Charlie's eyes, but there was something terrifyingly shocking and deep in them and she couldn't stare into them for too long.

Charlie smirked. "Almost. The only people I'm missing are the old men who play dominos on Sunday afternoons," he joked.

"But surely you know all their daughters, though." Hermione hoped that her voice didn't sound bitter.

"Their daughters," – Charlie lowered his voice, probably to avoid offending the waitress – "are psychopaths." He said this with such ease, such detachment, as though it were clear as day.

Hermione felt personally vindicated by this and she couldn't help smiling. "Why?"

Charlie licked his lips. "In a town this small, the pickings are slim, and they all want to get married." He spoke as though telling a joke, though Hermione knew he was serious.

Hermione wondered whether the men in the town were as captivating as the women, but she decided it wouldn't be right to ask Charlie.

"The prospect of marriage doesn't quite appeal to you?" she asked instead.

Charlie frowned. "Marriage is for people like Bill, who want to 'settle down.' I want to just … I don't know; I don't think I'm missing anything from my life at all."

Hermione felt a small pull away from Charlie at the moment. She felt a bit offended, as though Charlie were trying to tell her something: he needs space in the long run.

"By the time I'm sixty, though, I'll probably be one of those perverts groping the female nurses at St. Mungo's."

Hermione laughed.

"And you'll be the most attractive nurse there."

She blushed. "So I suppose that all that training and hard work as a Ministry official won't do me any good?"

Charlie laughed. "Hermione, hard work and training as a Ministry official don't do anybody any good."

--

Charlie didn't hold her hand again when they left the restaurant, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was a strategic maneuver on his part, a distancing tactic. Still, paranoia wasn't at the forefront of her mind. What she felt toward Charlie may not have been as deep as love, but it had the desperate, glittering quality of adoration. She felt as though he had come down for a universe of goddess-like women to spend the day with her, and she felt as though she owed him.

The good mood between them didn't fade as they walked back to Shell Cottage together. They were joking around and laughing, and when they got back Hermione decided to teach Gabrielle some Potions. For a while, Hermione wondered whether Gabrielle would seduce her again, if it could be called seduction, but while they were reviewing basic ingredients, Hermione was too full of joy from the day to even think about something like that.

--

He was sitting on the porch, alone. It was dark out already, and Hermione could only see him by the light coming out through the windows. He was smoking something that definitely wasn't a cigarette. Hermione took a deep breath. He looked so sexy just sitting on the porch's railing, reclining against the wall. He stared off into the night and Hermione gazed at the muscles that showed through in his arms.

"Thanks," she said. Her voice was hoarse from not having spoken in a while, and she spoke so softly she barely heard herself.

Charlie glanced over and smiled. "For what?" he asked.

Hermione shrugged as she stepped out onto the porch on her bare feet. The shift into outside air was cold and stimulating. Her heart pounded. "Nothing. Just, for going out with me. Not, like a date or anything, but just for…" Even in the semi-darkness it was obvious she was blushing. "Nothing. Never mind." She turned to go back inside. She was planning on doing this smoothly and seductively, and it was almost surprising to find herself the same bumbling mess she always was.

"Wait, no, com'ere." Charlie reached and arm out to her and she came closer. His arm felt warm and heavy around her shoulders, his fingers rough as he rubbed her forearm. "That's sweet. You want a hit?" He extended the small, white thing he was smoking to her, and Hermione shook her head no.

"I wanted to…" Hermione felt like her tongue was made of lead. How was a woman supposed to say that she wanted to perform fellatio? But then, suddenly, she felt something shift in the air, and she knew that Charlie had understood what she wanted.

"Yeah?"

"Return the favor," she squeaked.

"Okay…" Charlie looked around and peered through the window to make sure nobody was around. He swung both legs over to one side, and it was clear he was waiting for her to do something.

Shock unfurled in Hermione's stomach. She had expected to go to his room; what he was asking for was dirty and weird and … public. Just like he had done to her. She stammered something in gibberish. She didn't know what to say, now that the moment for her to do something was there, and she was waiting stupidly. Her hands and feet felt numb and her heart was a dull, rapid thudding in her ears. She reminded herself to breathe.

Charlie looked at her anxiously, as though she might faint. "You know you don't have to, right?"

Hermione gulped and nodded her head. It wasn't that she didn't want to; she was just terrified, as though she were going on a huge roller-coaster. The air felt cool around her and crickets chirped in the distance. From the house, there was only silence and warm light.

Charlie smirked. "Here," he said gently. He put one hand on her waist and the other on her shoulder, pushing down very lightly. Hermione got on her knees. She ran her fingers gently over his thighs, and then undid the button on his denims. She eased the fly down slowly, too embarrassed to look up at him.

Charlie hopped down from the railing to slide his denims down to his ankles, and then he sat back down. He was hard.

Her hand was trembling as she wrapped it around the base. She leaned in closer, and she could imagine her breath feeling warm against the head. It was surreal, being so close to Charlie. She remembered watching Gabrielle do the same thing, and how it looked so erotic and alien, like a scene from a foreign film. The way Gabrielle's wet mouth dipped smoothly over the length of his cock had seemed so easy and sexy. Hermione wasn't aware that it took skill to do something like that.

Hermione tried to remember what Gabrielle did and mimic it. She tried teasing the head with the tip of her tongue. The skin felt soft and the taste was unusual—like ordinary skin but more sensual, almost like sweat. She tried licking at the tip and the little slit at the very top, and Charlie's hips bucked. She put her lips around the head and sucked in gently. Charlie grunted.

For the first time, Hermione glanced up timidly. Charlie was looking up at the sky, head angled back. He licked his lips.

Hermione tried bobbing her head gently, until the point where she felt the head of Charlie's cock touch the soft spot on the roof of her mouth, near the back of her tongue. After a while, her lips got tired from he sucking motion and she relaxed her mouth, using only her tongue while stroking up and down the shaft with her hands. She alternated the movements until she found a rhythm amount of pressure that made him groan.

"Wait. Hermione—"

Hermione realized what would happen a split second before it did. Instinctively, she moved her mouth away from his cock, just as he came.

--


	7. Chapter 6

July at Shell Cottage

Chapter 6

"Gabrielle, you have to focus," Hermione scolded. "We're not getting anything done."

Gabrielle sighed and drew her red lollypop out of her mouth slowly. "Why eez eet overcast today?" she asked dreamily. She tapped her bottom lip with the hard, sticky candy. Hermione watched as the thin, red skin pulled away slowly from the treat. She felt a quiver in her thighs but decided to ignore it.

"I don't know. Now can you please identify what's in this vial without tasting or smelling it?" Hermione asked, extending a small vial of transparent liquid sealed with a wooden cork.

Gabrielle sighed again, took the vial between her slender, delicate fingers, and squinted through the potion. "Water," she decided, handing it back. She slid her lollypop up and down the length of her tongue, and then took it out of her mouth.

"No. Look closely," Hermione said, getting agitated.

Gabrielle turned to her and smiled, bottom lip held between her teeth. Her eyes were sparkling. "'old still," she said. She brought the lollypop to Hermione's mouth, dragging the sticky sweet over her lips.

Hermione pulled away. "We have to focus," she decided, though with less gusto. She licked the candy off her lips, savoring the sugary taste. "You didn't examine the vial closely enough—"

"You missed a spot," Gabrielle said softly, leaning in toward Hermione. She kissed her quickly, licking the last remains of the sticky red candy off Hermione's lips.

Hermione pulled away. "There are little specks swirling in the—" Gabrielle's lips pressed against hers again, and she didn't try to pull away this time. Hermione fingers ran through Gabrielle's silken hair, pulling closer the taste of the lollypop on the girl's tongue.

Gabrielle drew herself back after a minute, and Hermione knew not to continue her lesson. Gabrielle used the lollypop to trace a line down the corner of Hermione's mouth, over her jaw line, over her earlobe and down her neck onto her collarbone. Then she licked it off slowly, following the line, taking time to suck on Hermione's earlobe and collarbone. Hermione moaned as the sensitive skin was sucked into Gabrielle's warm mouth, and she slipped the straps of her simple dress off her shoulders, pulling it off her breasts, which craved the attention of Gabrielle's tongue. She leaned back on her elbows, tossing her hair behind her, waiting for whatever Gabrielle would do next.

Gabrielle used the lollypop like a paintbrush, stroking down Hermione's breastbone and spiraling over each of her breasts, rubbing each nipple with the bright red sweet. Hermione moaned as Gabrielle's mouth began tracing the patterns she had drawn. Her tongue lapped at each nipple until it stiffened.

Gabrielle reached down with the candy and began rubbing it in simple lines over Hermione's inner thighs, which Hermione opened instantly. She knew she was getting wet from this; the candy felt sticky and hard, and she loved the feel of Gabrielle's tongue sliding over her body. Gabrielle lowered herself down and began licking Hermione's smooth thighs, her tongue running over the sensitive skin hotly. She rubbed the lollypop up and down her slit through her panties, and then licked the fabric. Hermione longed for the thin layer separating the two of them to vanish.

Gabrielle removed Hermione's panties quickly and used the lollypop to draw two long arrows up her thighs pointing to the place where they joined. She licked her off slowly, making Hermione moan.

Hermione was getting hot and desperate. She needed release, and she could tell Gabrielle was teasing her, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Gabrielle tapped Hermione's clit very lightly with the head of the lollypop three times, and then licked it off. She licked Hermione's inner lips and swirled the candy over her clit gently. Hermione moaned loudly, not caring if someone would hear. She was getting so fucking close to her orgasm, and Gabrielle seemed to be keeping her on edge. Slowly, and without any skin-to-skin contact, Gabrielle slid the lollypop inside Hermione and twirled it. Hermione was tingling, aching for the orgasm that seemed just to be on the edge.

Gabrielle used an index finger to rub Hermione's clit in three circles, taking her just to the brink of orgasm and then tearing it away. Hermione groaned softly, frustrated, holding her sticky breast gently with one hand.

Gabrielle twisted the lollypop inside Hermione once more, coating it in her juices. She then withdrew it, leaving Hermione feeling a bit empty. Gabrielle raised the lollypop to Hermione's lips. "Open your mouth," she whispered.

Hermione was a bit shocked. She never had any interest in knowing what she tasted like, but in that moment she barely hesitated. She sucked in on the candy, tasting the sugar and artificial flavor in it, and just then Gabrielle's tongue swirled over her clit, and she came with dizzying force. She screamed, arching her back off the sand, and then collapsed, completely spent.

Gabrielle lay down on her back next to her, resting her cheek on her arms, which where folded in front of her. She had a coy look in her eye, though otherwise her face didn't hold much expression.

Hermione tucked some silvery hair behind the girl's ear. The warm way she felt toward Gabrielle didn't seem wrong to her anymore. She was so beautiful and fluid, like a ribbon blowing in the wind, and she could show a different side of herself in a fraction of a second. Hermione kissed her slowly on the lips, and then moved her mouth over to the girl's shoulder. She nudged her over onto her back and buried her mouth in her neck, tasting a hint of sweet French perfume there. Her hands busied themselves with undoing Gabrielle's clothes, separating the layers to get at her sweet-smelling skin. The air around them was humid and warm and Gabrielle's skin had a salty edge to it.

Hermione wondered what she was doing and why it felt so right. Why was Gabrielle's scent so fucking addicting that she kept trying to pick apart the different undertones?

Hermione had expected Gabrielle to wear fancy French lingerie, but was surprised to find that the girl actually wore no underwear. Hermione's lowered herself down to between Gabrielle's legs, panting slightly.

Gabrielle had a patch of soft, translucent white-blonde hair above her soft, white lips. Hermione could see the tiniest bit of moisture gathering at her slit. She lowered her tongue down, trying to think about some sort of technique to employ or strategy to use, but before she could clear her head her tongue was submerged in something very wet and warm and soft. It tasted like warm water, through with a musky aftertaste. The scent was heady and intense but somehow not unpleasant. The tip of her tongue found Gabrielle's clit rather easily, and the girl jerked every time she poked at it.

She wasn't quite sure what s he was doing; she tried to alternate between licking her clit and licking her lips, until she found a spot just above Gabrielle's clit that, when rubbed gently and in a circular motion, made her moan.

Hermione felt it when Gabrielle was about to come; her whole body tensed and she fell silent, her head arching back into the sand. She trembled and suddenly went limp, and though there were no fireworks as there had been with Charlie, Hermione could see the magical, glazed look in her eye.

Surprisingly, they were actually able to get some work done with potions that afternoon. When they returned to Shell Cottage, Hermione showered and collapsed on her bed. She heard when Bill got home from work. The sun began slanting in through her window in wide, gold ribbons, a precursor to its setting. She felt warm and comfortable, though she tried not to think too much about her afternoon; she did not regret anything, but it still was a bit too strange to process.

She had left the door ajar, reading a book in the tranquility, when suddenly she heard a loud thump as something hit the wall next to hers, the bathroom wall, or, more specifically, the shower wall. She listened as the man and woman occupying the shower together cursed and moaned, throwing themselves forcefully against the wall now and again. Hermione wondered whether it was Bill and Fleur or Charlie and Gabrielle, or perhaps Charlie and Fleur or Bill and Gabrielle. As she imagined the different possibilities, she found her hand gently running over the space between her legs through her sweatpants. And then suddenly her thoughts were interrupted.

"You like listening to my brother and his wife fuck?" Charlie asked, smiling playfully. He stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorpost. Then he took several steps toward Hermione, who was blushing deeply.

"No. Of course not." She flipped a page in her book angrily.

"Yeah, you do," Charlie countered. He sat next to her on her bed and raked his teeth over her earlobe. Hermione wanted to pull away from him yet somehow found herself not doing so. "They do it in the shower all the time. You want to be fucked up against a wall, Hermione?" Charlie growled into her ear. "We can do that."

Hermione's blush was spreading to her chest, and though she was a bit embarrassed, Charlie's words were still pulling her in. His breath was hot and ragged in her ear.

"We can do whatever you want … wherever you want." He paused for a beat. "Hermione, I want to make love to you."

_Then do it_.

"I don't think I can," Hermione said, her words betraying her body. Charlie's body felt hard and warm up against hers, but reason reminded her of what it would truly mean to have sex.

Charlie kissed her neck slowly, rolling his warm tongue over her skin. She wanted it. Had that moment been stretched and preserved, she would have had sex right then and there. But logic caught up with her.

"I'm sorry…"

Charlie chuckled into her neck. His stubble felt rough against her skin. "What are you apologizing for?" He kissed her neck and sucked hard on the skin. It occurred to Hermione that the suction would leave a mark, but it was a bruise she almost craved, like a badge. She held him close as he buried himself in her skin. Her arms barely wrapped around his broad frame.

Hermione lay back against the bed as Charlie switched his attention down her jaw and onto her lips. She loved his kisses; they always felt so smooth and soft, and she loved the feel of his facial stubble. He smelled like fresh laundry and soap. She felt safe and tiny underneath his body on the comfortable bed in the salty evening air.

Charlie rolled them to the side, his arm around Hermione's waist, their legs intertwined. Hermione fell asleep quickly listening to the rustle of the ocean and relishing in the feel of Charlie's body next to hers.


End file.
